Market Thoughts for March 2016

Mark Johnson serves as the Chief Investment Officer at Wealth Strategy Group, where he combines over three decades of leadership in investment management, strategic planning, and risk mitigation to empower clients and advisors with next-generation portfolio solutions. With an emphasis on innovation and consistency, Mark’s mission is to help investors pursue financial independence by balancing growth potential with disciplined risk management.

A pioneer in the development of dynamic investment strategies, Mark is the architect of Proactive Risk Optimization (PRO)— WSG’S proprietary system which seeks to balance returns and risk

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Business School and the Harvard Business School Executive Leadership Program, Mark combines strategic insights with a passion for fostering financial confidence for individual investors.

Lori has an extensive background in providing superior client service in a few different industries including real estate, healthcare, and retail. She utilizes her comprehensive skills as a Client Relationship Manager at Wealth Strategy Group. Her responsibilities include managing client needs, coordinating client meetings, scheduling appointments and any other activities that may arise in our office. You will most likely be greeted by Lori in our Tomahawk office and hear her friendly voice when you call.

Lori is originally from southern Wisconsin but has lived in the Tomahawk area for 8+ years. In her free time, she enjoys snowmobiling, camping, gardening, hunting and being outside exploring our beautiful state with her family which includes her husband, three children and 7 grandchildren.

Emma is a Registered Administrative Associate at Wealth Strategy Group. She joined Wealth Strategy Group in 2022 and holds her FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations through LPL Financial. Emma’s current responsibilities include managing client needs & collaborating with the advisor team to service our clients.

Emma was raised in Marquette and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Northern Michigan University. She is dedicated to serving the unique community of the Upper Peninsula, which she, her husband, and her son Ivan are proud to call home. Emma’s hobbies are very diverse and include everything from cooking to reading Russian literature. She especially enjoys learning new languages and traveling.

Bill is an Associate Advisor at Wealth Strategy Group. Bill works closely with clients to understand their unique financial needs and goals, providing personalized guidance on investment strategies, retirement planning, and wealth management. Integrity is at the core of his work, ensuring that every recommendation is in the best interest of the client.

Prior to joining Wealth Strategy Group, Bill obtained a bachelor’s degree in finance from Michigan Technological University. Upon graduation, Bill worked at a regional bank & trust company, managing client investment portfolios and helping them to reach their financial goals. Bill holds his FINRA series 7 and 66 securities registrations through LPL Financial.

Bill resides in Marquette with his wife Gwen. Together they enjoy being active outdoors and spending time with friends and family. Bill’s many hobbies include reading, hunting, and fishing.

Susan has worked in the financial services industry since 2005. She is a Marketing Manager at Wealth Strategy Group. Her responsibilities include coordinating marketing campaigns and activities while maintaining superior client service and assisting our team wherever needed. Susan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Susan’s positive outlook and strong work ethic show in all that she does.

Susan and her husband Ron have lived in Tomahawk for over 30 years; raising their family and appreciating the small-town culture where residents truly help each other.  They enjoy spending time with their 2-adult daughters and families that thankfully still live in Wisconsin. Top outdoor activities include waterskiing, snowmobiling, hunting, and hiking.

When not outdoors, Susan keeps busy helping her mother-in-law with daily activities as she is in her mid-80’s. There is a lot of wisdom to be learned from elderly family members as well as a tremendous amount of joy gained from spending time with them. Any spare hours are spent cooking, baking, and volunteering at church and our community.

Kristi is an Operations Manager at Wealth Strategy Group.  Kristi partners with the Wealth Strategy Team on administrative and client support services. Prior to joining WSG, Kristi worked in several administrative roles at Northern Michigan University, where she also earned a Master of Public Administration degree.

In her spare time, Kristi, and her husband Ryan, are busy keeping their two young children, Ella, and Evan, entertained. Kristi and her family like to spend their spare time enjoying all the outdoor activities that the U.P. has to offer. They especially enjoy camping, swimming, biking, and hiking.

Sara is an Associate Advisor at Wealth Strategy Group.  In her role, Sara provides an array of services including meeting with clients to review their portfolios, implementation and maintenance of Financial Plans, monitoring asset allocations, and conducting research to help client’s with their needs.  Sara offers this support to our clients centered on the principals of integrity, superior client service and ethical business practices.  Her passion for honesty, hard work, respect, and consistent and thorough communication creates a very comfortable working relationship with our clients.

Sara has worked in the financial services industry since 2014 and holds her FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations through LPL Financial.

Sara resides in Tomahawk with her husband, Steve, and their son, Bodie.  As a family, they spend their time waterskiing, snowmobiling, playing games and entertaining.  Sara and Steve also enjoy supporting Bodie in the youth sports he participates in.

Navigator – “a person who practices, or is skilled in, navigation”

My dad, Richard Sr., was a decorated US Air Force Navigator who successfully guided his crews to destinations around the globe, from the jungles of southeast Asia to frozen tundra of the north and south poles.   I inherited his passion for navigation, only I develop routes to desired wealth/financial destinations.  In guiding your journey we will define a route through today’s challenging financial landscape that delivers you to your destination.

Each journey requires a thorough understanding of the terrain ahead, including the landmarks and milestones.  Creating a proper road map or flight plan requires a full understanding of your present situation and the destination you desire.  As your navigator, it is my job to anticipate the challenges ahead, advise you of course corrections and make appropriate adjustments.  Together we monitor your progress, allowing you to enjoy the journey.

I have enjoyed the privilege of guiding many successful missions over the past 20 years and am excited about the journeys that lay ahead and the crews I will lead.

When not navigating the financial world, I enjoy the great outdoors of Michigan’s upper peninsula.  Spending time with family and friends in the pursuit of outdoor adventures is where I can be found.  My grandsons, two boys and daughter-in-law are at the very center of my compass.

In his role as Plan Manager at LPL Financial, Ross supports the Wisconsin office where he assists in developing and executing comprehensive financial plans. As a member of the LPL Paraplanning Services team, Ross partners with advisors to deliver financial planning support by providing detailed data analysis and cultivating planning strategies to assist clients in reaching their financial goals. LPL’s Paraplanning Solutions group is not affiliated with the Wisconsin office.

Ross’ financial services career launched in 2007 where he served as a Financial Services Officer and Financial Planner prior to joining LPL Financial in 2023. Ross received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and Master of Business Administration from East Carolina University, and he received his CFP® designation in 2013. He is also an Enrolled Agent (EA).

Ross and his wife live in Greenville, North Carolina where they are raising their daughter. They are actively involved in the community, are avid golfers, and love to support the ECU Pirates.

Debra is part of LPL Business Solutions, a service that provides industry-trained LPL professionals who can simplify operations and streamline advisors’ practices. She partners with advisors to provide support on administrative tasks and client management functions. Debra has worked in the financial services industry for 10 years in administrative/client service roles at companies including The Capital Legacy, LLC. She joined LPL in 2021 to apply her experience working with advisors in the Admin Solutions Program.

Nicole is a Client Relationship Manager at Wealth Strategy Group. She brings over 15 years of financial service experience, having worked closely with clients to create and implement holistic financial plans. Nicole’s current responsibilities include managing client needs and collaborating with the advisor team to service our clients.

Nicole is originally from the metro Detroit area, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baker College. Nicole moved to the UP in 2017, where she lives with her husband and three children. She enjoys time spent outside, including boating, snowmobiling, and playing with her kids.

Kristin is a Client Relationship Manager at Wealth Strategy Group. She is working remotely from Quincy, Illinois. Kristin’s current responsibilities include scheduling appointments, administrative client inquiries, processing account transfers, and managing the day-to-day activities of a busy office.  She is grateful to be a part of the Wealth Strategy Group team where the goal is always focused on providing clients with exceptional service.  Prior to joining Wealth Strategy Group, Kristin began her role in the financial services industry in 2008 as a Branch Office Administrator at Edward Jones. Kristin graduated from Truman State University (formerly Northeast Missouri State University) with a bachelor’s degree in biology.

If Kristin is not at work, you may find her outdoors exploring area hiking trails to unplug from the daily routine. There are also frequent trips visiting her children – Victor in Chassell, MI, Elizabeth in Las Vegas, and Anthony in Eau Claire.

Randy has been managing client portfolios for over 35 years.  His dedication to his clients starts with a thorough understanding of their goals, values, and tolerance for risk.  Randy believes in a proactive approach when managing his client’s assets; he not only studies the markets to know when to be fully invested but he, more importantly, knows when it’s necessary to reduce exposure to risk in the markets. Randy’s ongoing priority is to create a level of performance and service that exceeds client expectations, while always keeping his client’s best interest at heart.

Credentials/Affiliations/Awards

• Wealth Advisor with LPL Financial